- Civivi heading for another success
There is no doubt that WE Knives is constantly aiming for new segments of the knife market. First, they established themselves as manufacturers of knives with very high and consistent quality. This in turn meant that, in addition to their own creations, they were increasingly hired by all sorts of other companies and designers to make knives for them.
Some time passed and then they launched the budget brand Civivi towards the end of 2018. Since then, everything has gone like clockwork and a steady flow of knives has been released under that name and the popular models are constantly keep coming in new versions. This in turn has raised prices a bit, and the answer from WE are somewhat unusual, they released yet another budget brand called Sencut. The latter is supposed to be entry-level models while Civivi takes over the middle class.
And it is in this segment we find today's review item called Ortis.
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| Civivi C2013C Ortis |
Like most of Civivi's models, Ortis can be had in several versions. In addition to the four color schemes that are available at the time of writing, it is also available in a luxury version with a pattern-welded blade and silver twill-carbon fiber in the handle.
But whether it will approach Elementum which exists in more than ten versions so far remains to be seen and probably depends on how big of a success this knife will be. The shoes of Elementum is rather hard to fill since it was one of the models that really accelerated Civivi's reputation. Then they have recently released a series of knives with a similar look. First the more traditional Appalachian Drifter and then the larger Dogma followed by Ortis.
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| Ortis is both stylish, practical, and well-built |
Twitter version: Civivi proves with Ortis that successes like Elementum and Baklash were not a coincidence.
Blade
Ortis offers a classic clip point. Nothing wrong with that. As I often say, if you are looking for a versatile blade and not aiming at a specific task, it is either that or a drop point that applies. In this case, Civivi has continued with the theme from several other models and that gives a result that is both appealing to look at and to use. The finish is in this case blackened and stone tumbled.
The blade is 3.25 inches long, which translates to an uneven 82.6 mm. The height is about an inch, or to be more precise 25.3 mm according to my caliper. The thickness is a more even figure of 3 mm.
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| A classic clip point blade with a hole that reflects the lines in an appealing way |
The blade material is Chinese in the form of 9Cr18MoV. A steel that is part of a group that is sometimes a little condescendingly referred to as "number steels" in an internet context, which is not very fair.* In fact, 9Cr is fairly good steel. It takes a good edge at the same time as it is both easy to grind and quite stainless. However, it is not on par with the really advanced materials when it comes to being able to stay sharp. But in my experience, it is in full parity with, for example, Japanese VG10 and European N690.
The factory edge on this specimen was good but the edge bit better after I sharpened it. The hardness is stated to be in the range 57-59 HRC and I would guess based on how it feels to work with, that it is in the middle of that range.
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| The hollow ground blade is made of Chinese 9Cr18MoV steel |
Ortis is a knife that has been used on a wide variety of materials during the test period. As recently as yesterday, I used it to cut meat for a casserole, which included removing gristle on a larger veal thigh. Something that it handles quite well, especially in this regrind configuration. The belly of the blade facilitates sweeping cuts and the hollow-ground blade measures around half a millimeter behind the edge. Two good properties when doing these kind of jobs. Overall, that makes this knife decent for smaller kitchen tasks. That said, the ones who know me by now also know what I think about pocket knives in the kitchen. They don't belong there except perhaps for opening packages. Not least for hygiene reasons.
Then I acted as a mover during the test period and it has meant a lot of cutting in both tape, cardboard, and padding of all kinds. In these situations, I am also pleased that the knife is easy to pull and open besides being a good cutting tool. For example, when you lie on your back under an adjustable bed and tape power cords, you do not want any hassle when you trying to open your knife.
For more mundane or rather recurring chores, Ortis is excellent. The sharp and easy-to-control tip is really good for puncturing stubborn packaging materials for instance. The blade is also large enough for most common tasks. Yes, a little depending on what your everyday life looks like, of course. Also, the knife works well for lighter tasks in the forest, around the campsite. But if I'm going to carve something, I prefer something more substantial. This mainly applies to the handle, which is unsolicited bring us to the next point.
Handle
The handle does not offer any surprises, but the work is, as expected, very well done. The foundation is a very lightened steel frame that rises slightly over the sides. The back is mostly open with a small backspacer towards the end of the handle. It is fastened with two screws that together with the adjustable pivot screw hold the knife together.
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| Ortis offers a surprisingly sympathetic FRN handle |
On the outside of the frame, you will find sides of FRN, or "quality plastic" as you might put it. We are talking about some form of fiberglass reinforced nylon. A very good material from a practical point of view as it is both durable and easy to shape during production. The big downside is that it isn't nor feels exclusive but more often a bit boring.
The sides of the Ortis are softly rounded and vaulted. To give a little better grip, they have been provided with a pattern of fine lines. In contrast, the plastic is smooth around the pivot screw, which gives the illusion of a bolster.
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| The small lanyard hole is hidden from view in the backspacer |
Let us dwell at the handle for a moment. A couple of details show that some thought and effort were put into making this knife even if it's not expensive. One such is how the FRN-sides feel. They give a very compact impression and less of the plastic feeling that is otherwise common for obvious reasons. But an even better example is how well rounded and polished the frame is. No sharp edges or corners as far as can be seen. Furthermore, the backspacer is screwed from both sides, which is preferable, and the screws are also equipped with slightly beefier T8 heads, which guarantees a longer service life. It also means that one driver is enough to disassemble the knife as long as you do not touch the clip. Besides, all screws are blackened to be less visible. Another clever detail is how the lanyard hole is hidden at the back end so we, who do not use such features, do not have to see them at the same time as it is there when needed. The only negative is that is a tad to bit small to fit a standard 550-paracord through there.
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| The balance is very neutral and the handle is really comfortable, albeit slightly on the small side |
The handle measures just over 10.5 cm in length of which 9.5 cm is the grip area. That length is enough for me to be able to get a grip with all four fingers, but barely. And since the knife is relatively slim and not excessively high either, it does not fill up the hand. For me a slightly taller handle would have been preferable. But that is always a trade-off as it would have adversely affected the appearance.
When it comes to grip comfort, the handle is really good. The soft shapes make it easy to change grips if needed and the handle does not favor any special way of holding the knife, but all variants work well.
Opening and Lock
Civivi not only knows how to build a flipper knife. They excel in that game. Ortis is a knife that is extremely quick to open. It stems from a combination of fine ball bearings and a good geometry with the flipper tab located in front of the pivot point. Add to that the tab is slightly tilted forward, which enhances that effect. The most important component, however, is how to tune the detent ball, which in this case is to perfection. In fact, it is so well balanced that the knife can very well be opened via the blade hole also for those who want to open their blade more discreetly.
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| A flipper tab that is as small as it is effective. If it is pulled back, that is |
The flipper tab is also small and discreet, which means that it does not scare other things that share pocket space with your knife, which is excellent. Then it is equipped with fairly distinctive grooves, which provides good grip and safe handling. The finger don't slip on this tab. So far, I have not failed to open this knife once.
The only thing that can be objected to the flipper tab is that it does not work if it is pushed downwards but only when pulled back. If you press down in a push-button motion, nothing happens.
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| A very well made liner lock |
When it comes to the precision with which the lock is made, it is noticeable that Civivi is part of the WE family. There are no negative comments at all. This is a liner lock that is made with great skill. The result is a blade that does not move in any direction and a lock bar that neither travels when the blade is under pressure nor is stuck when it is to be released. At the same time, the lock bar is easy to access and some well-placed grooves mean that you do not slip off with your thumb when the lock is released. The lock bar protrudes slightly so that it is easier to reach but not so much that it disturbs the grip otherwise. This lock is exemplarily.
To Carry
Ortis is not a large knife and it is also round in shape. Features that make it great to store in a pocket. The handle measures 10.7 centimeters in length, is 1.3 centimeters wide and the height ends up at 2.5 centimeters. Sure, it is a flipper knife, but in this case, the tab is as small and discreet as it can be, although the top, due to the grooves, can be a bit sharp if you hit it.
The weight is a mere 82 grams. In this case, the phrase "every little helps" seems appropriate. Much of the light weight can be attributed to the sides of FRN. No matter what you think of that material, it's lightweight. Also, the steel frame is greatly weight relieved, which of course contributes. Add to that that the backspacer is short and the blade is hollow-grind with a big hole in it. If you combine all those factors, the end result will be good.
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| This knife comes with a really good clip |
The clip is simply put very good. The only thing that prevents it from being perfect is that like many deep carry-type clips that are attached to the far back of the handle, it can be felt in the hand at certain grips. This is also the case here. But it comes with the clip type and is thus not a mistake but something that comes with the territory.
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| The screws on the clip are countersunk |
Otherwise, there are only good things to say about it. Civivi remembered that clips should not have tips that are tilted outwards at the same time as there is a fairly large ramp that handles the edges of pockets. There is plenty of space under it even for thicker fabrics such as jeans or work pants. Also, Civivi has made an effort to countersink the screws that hold it in place so that none of that space is lost. That detail also contributes to the fact that the entire space can be used to get the knife deeper in the pocket and means that the fabric does not get stuck when you have to pull out your knife.
To Conclude
WE Knives is not only known for maintaining a very high quality of its own products but is therefore also frequently hired by many others in the industry as OEM manufacturer**. The good thing about that is that it spilled over to Civivi. Of course, the materials are simpler. Instead of mostly titanium and super steels, you get G10 and FRN as well as blade steel in lower price ranges. But obviously, they know where to put the savings and where to put an extra dollar or maybe yuan/renminbi in this case.
When it comes to Ortis, the extras have been placed on a very good blade in a steel that is one of the best "number steels" as well as fine ball bearings and a well-made clip. Besides, there are several well-executed details such as countersunk screws for the clip that, by the way, do not have a tip pointing outwards, beveled edges on the hole in the blade, rounded edges on the frame, effective grooves on the flipper tab, a sharpening choil worth the name and a very lightened frame. Of course, all this raises the overall impression. This is how to build budget knives!
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| Whether Ortis will reach Elementum's levels remains to be seen, but the potential is there! |
In this case, those features are combined with one of the best handling experiences I had in a long time. The knife is quick to draw and lightning-fast to open and very easy to close. Ortis is also stylish with one of the most elegant markings in the class. The steel type is written on the blade but so discretely that it has become something of a sport to even find it. And the only clue to which brand we are talkning about is the C on the pivot screwhead.
But the best thing is probably that Ortis is also a very good tool. When it comes to the blade, there is an air of Buck 112 over it. In a good way, I might add. There is something about the proportions and the way it is ground that gives that feeling. But otherwise, the shape, the blade hole, and the blackened finish make it very dissimilar to said knife. In fact, I think this blade is better. The hollow grind does not leave much steel behind the edge and that property is combined with a well-executed factory edge. Simply put, this knife cuts very well.
Possibly I wished Ortis was a little bigger. Not necessarily because I need a longer blade but want a slightly fuller handle. In particular, I would have liked it a little higher to approach perfection. As it is now, it's borderline too small for my hand size. But still on the right side of the border.
Then I wouldn't say no to slightly better materials. The steel, 9Cr18MoV, I do not mind as it is good quality. But I would rather have seen Micarta or at least G10 in the handle for that extra feeling that the FRN does not give even if it's a practical material. But in return, this is one of the better-executed FRN handles I have come across. Especially as it is well-shaped and is equipped with slightly larger screws and has a hidden lanyard hole as a bonus.
Otherwise, the handle is extremely sympathetic. It is simple but well designed with rounded shapes and soft edges. All parts of the steel frame are rounded in the right places and there are thus no sharp and uncomfortable corners. The only thing that is noticable is the clip in some grips. Somethingthat is difficult to avoid with a deep carry clip.
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| Civivi Ortis, an affordable EDC-knife that suits most people and can handle most tasks |
I note that Civivi has done it again. This knife is generally as sympathetic as Elementum in my opinion. Yet another success is what I foresee for this model.
Ortis is therefore a knife I highly recommend for those who want to try a model from Civivi or just want a damn good knife for everyday use at an attractive price.
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| A link to Civivi's Amason store |
Specification:
Length Overall: 190 mm
Length Folded: 107 mm
Weight: 82 g
Blade Length: 83 mm
Blade Thickness: 3 mm
Blade Steel: 9Cr18MoV
Handle: FRN, steel frame
Lock: Liner lock
Produced by: Civivi, made in China
/ J - impressed
* The 440 family of steels are usually given the same treatment, even though there is a significant difference between a simple 440A and a significantly more advanced 440C. The same relationship applies to AUS6, AUS8, and AUS10.
** OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer and simply means that they also manufacture products for other brands.
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